


Backup

by Kiloueka



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drabbles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Vague Endgame Spoilers, doodle, he not really 'dead' but, self indulgent drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-03-29 16:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13930671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiloueka/pseuds/Kiloueka
Summary: Since the fall of the Bunker, there's been no way for androids to back up their data in case their bodies get destroyed. 9S successfully created a workaround for him and 2B that uploads their data at the time of death into a storage unit kept inside the other's body.Call it extreme luck that he completed it just days before a rogue machine took him out in a gruesome battle.





	1. Chapter 1

2B sat over the lifeless body of her partner as she poured over countless documents littered around the room. Weeks had gone by since a stray bit of shrapnel from an exploding rogue machine pierced him through his chest, embedding itself in his Black Box.

The piercing screams he forced from his torn lungs still echoed within her. No amount of staunching gel could stop the waves of electricity that rolled through his body as the embedded shrapnel acted as a conductor, scrambling his circuits and overloading his processors.

She couldn't even hold him properly as he died. the overwhelming deluge of memories as his personal data was evacuated into the emergency backup he placed within her caused her to fumble and lose focus on her surroundings. That, mixed with the sheer panic of watching the one she loved most die in her arms for the thousandth time blinded her with tears that flowed out like waterfalls.

She couldn't pull the shrapnel from his chest or he would bleed out, and she couldn't leave it in to deal with back in the safety of camp as it was destroying him from the inside out. All she could do was tightly grip him and pray that his tireless work to create a functioning backup system actually worked.

His final words replayed themselves in her mind, again and again, giving her the strength to continue on despite her failed attempts to repair his Black Box.

> “...2...B...” He sputtered as he raised his trembling hand and placed it weakly on her chest. With the last of his energy, he met her gaze and shined a weak, but genuine smile. Her hand came up and pressed down on his, holding it in place as she listened as well as she could to his final words. “It will... be ok... I'm still... here... with... y-you...”
> 
> “… I-I...”
> 
>                         “...will...”
> 
>                                                   “...see...”
> 
>                                                                          “...you...”
> 
>                                                                                                   “...soon..."

The battler doubled over as she sunk her teeth into her wrist to muffle a scream that forced it's way out of her.

“I don't know... how much longer...” She cried to no one in particular...

She bit back down on her arm as dark thoughts crowded in her mind.

_It should have been you. He would have had you back up and running in a day. But you? Worthless. You're an executioner who's only purpose is to destroy, not save._

“T-that's not true.” She mumbled while still gripping her wrist tightly in her teeth. “I-I saved him before... I-I can do it again.”

_But you really didn't, did you? You destroyed your hands digging up some rocks from the tower's rubble and the pods did everything else._

“Shut up!” She bit down harder and flinched as a trickle of oily blood flowed into her mouth. With more energy than should have been necessary, she released her grip on her wrist and pressed her forehead on 9S' black box still held firmly in her other hand.

“Nines.” She breathed. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...”

_“2B...”_ A familiar voice called to her from the back of her mind.

“N-nines? Is that...?”

_"2B, I'm here. It's ok. I'm here."_ 9S’ soft voice was unmistakable as it enveloped 2B's consciousness like a soft blanket.

"Nines." She choked. "I can hear you. B-but how?"

_"I created a small partition in your mind for my consciousness data to interact with you. I can't maintain it for long but... I can feel what you feel and... I just... needed to tell you it'll be ok. This is only temporary."_

"I-I know..." 2B whimpered as she curled in on herself once again, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in an attempt to pass an embrace onto him. "It's been weeks and I haven't made any headway. The medics patched your wounds up but we have no idea how to repair the crack in your Black Box. Not even the other scanners could do much."

She paused to take a deep, rattling breath. "E-even if we find a breakthrough... there's nothing I can do... I'm not built for delicate work... and it just... whenever one of the others takes your Black Box... I get so... so...."

_"I know... I would feel the same way. But I trust them with my life... I hope you can too soon."_

"Nines?"

_"Yeah?"_

"I miss you."

_"I'm here 2B. I've always been here."_

"It's not the same. I can't hold you like this. I can't touch you and kiss you and love you like this. I never wanted this to happen. I'm so sorry, I failed you."

_"2B."_ His 'voice' was gentle, yet firm. _"Neither of us could have prevented it. It's not anyone's fault."_

"I know, but I just..." She dug her nails into her shoulders and squeezed harder. "I never wanted to lose you again."

_"...I know. I know you never wanted to see me like this again. But all of my data is safe inside you, and I'll stay with you as long as it takes. We'll get through this and you'll find a breakthrough soon."_

2B sniffed and let out a few choked sobs. "P-promise?"

_"Promise."_ Not a hint of uncertainty or dishonesty tainted his voice, and 2B felt another wave of calm wash over her. She let out a deep, strained breath as she slowly uncurled herself and let her arms fall to her side.

"Nines?"

_"Yeah, 2B?"_

"I love you."

_"I love you too, more than anything."_

"More than anything." She repeated.

_"Now get some rest. Don't think I haven't been able to tell how long you've been awake reading all this."_ He said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"Yeah. Yeah." A small sliver of a smile broke across her lips as she gently stroked his cold cheek before dragging her exhausted frame to bed. "Goodnight Nines." She sighed as she nestled down in the soft sheets.

_"Goodnight, 2B."_


	2. Reload

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Limbo and OTMC still on semi-hiatus. Picking at chapter 7 bit by bit but no ETA

“Oh thank you, thank you so so much, Devola, Popola!” 2B cried out as she cradled 9S' repaired Black Box in her hands. “I don't know if I can ever repay you for your kindness.”

“What are you even talking about?” Devola snorted. “This is repayment for _you_. If it wasn't for you two coming along then... well...” She let her gaze wander to her twin.

“...I would still be dead.” Popola finished. “You both are important to us, and to the Resistance as a whole and we'd do anything to help you in your time of need.”

2B could feel her cheeks redden and heat up and she stumbled over some words trying to respond.

“Thank you.” She squeaked out finally. “It's my deepest pleasure to be able to use my abilities to save... rather than destroy. I... I... “She clutched his Black Box closer to her heart. “I need to activate him now.”

“Go.” Devola said.

“We're right behind you to make sure everything runs smoothly.” Popola added but 2B was already out of earshot racing to her partner.

"Nines, Nines!" She said excitedly as she burst into their room and rushed to his body. "They did it, the twins found a way to fix it. We're going to get you back up and running as soon as possible." Her gut twisted and she fought to keep the tears from her eyes.

A small jolt gave 2B pause as 9S opened a channel in her mind and greeted her.

“ _I know, I know. I'm so glad._ ”

“I'm so sor—”

“ _2B._ ” His 'voice' was firm. “ _Remember what I told you about apologizing so much._ ”

“Heh... I know Nines, I just...”

Suddenly a knock at the door made 2B jump to attention. The twins filed in before she could even respond and took up a seat on either side of 9S.

“You sure can run.” Devola said as she pulled out her toolbox and began removing 9S' chest panel.

“2B, we're going to need you to lie down next to him so we can connect you two for the restoration.

“Right.” She nodded. She stood up and tentatively handed 9S' Black Box to Devola before pulling up the nearby cot.

“Are you sure you have everything under control?” She asked as she lay down next to her partner.

“Yeah, it's just a simple backup now that his Black Box is fixed. That was the hard part. This is something we've done hundreds of times before.”

“I'm glad.” 2B closed her eyes as Popola began hooking her up to 9S. She linked fingers with his icy hand and squeezed hard, sharing her warmth with him. “

“All right.” Devola said. “We're all set up. Ready?”

“Ready.”

“ _I'll see you soon, 2B.”_

“I'll see you soon, Nines.”

The last thing she heard was the sound of the twins fiddling with their equipment before everything went dark.

 

“Rise and shine 2B, 9S.” The faint voice of Devola pulled at them from the depths of shutdown.

“Ngh... n... Nines!” 2B shot up and whipped her head around to see 9S looking straight back at her, almost completely mirroring her movements.

“2B!”

“Nines!” They called out simultaneously.

Hands flew up to their faces and gingerly stroked each others' cheeks, looking deep into the other's eyes for the first time in over a month.

“You're ok.” 2B whimpered.

"I am... I am ok." He cried back. "Oh, 2B."

“Nines.”

“2B.”

“Nines. I'm so glad.” She pressed her forehead against his and sighed and they both threw themselves into the other's arms and pulled each other close. 9S body was still cold, but she could feel a small inkling of heat radiating out from his core. She squeezed tighter and ran her hands up and down his back as he mirrored her actions.

“Does anything hurt? Or feel off?” She asked.

“Nothing that I can feel.”

“Good.”

“Thank you, 2B.” He raised his head and looked to the twins as they waited by the door. “Thank you Devola, Popola. I don't know if I can ever repay you for your kindness.”

“Oh hush.” Snorted Devola. “2B said the exact same thing.”

“This is our payment to you for everything you've done for us.”

"Plus, it's our job anyway, it's why we're still here in the first place."

“Heh... guess you're right.” 9S smiled and buried his face back in 2B's chest. “Still... I'm eternally grateful...”

“We're eternally grateful.” 2B added.

"Oh, 2B."

“Nines.”

“We're going to leave you two alone now.” Devola said and slipped out the door.

“We'll be nearby if something goes wrong but I'm confident that everything will be fine.”

2B and 9S had already begun sobbing into each other and could only manage a nod back at the twins as they left.

“H-here.” 2B sniffed. “You're cold.” She tossed a blanket around his shoulders and pulled him closer.

“Heh... not for long.” He pulled her to his cot and they curled up together, twining legs and arms around each other and touching as much of the other as possible. “You're so warm.”

“Mmm...” She hummed and stroked his soft hair. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“I missed you more.”

“No way, I missed you more.”

“Don't make me fight you over this.” She laughed softly.

“You shouldn't because you're gonna looose.”

2B snorted and bumped her forehead against his. “Boom. I win.”

He bumped her back. “No, I win.”

They bumped heads together a few times before a wonderfully terrible thought wormed its way into 2B's mind. A mischievous grin grew on her face and she quickly ran her hand down his side and gripped his ass, causing him to let out a high-pitched squeal in response. Before he could recover, she darted up and pressed her lips against his and hummed softly. He melted into her and they pushed into each other needily until 9S had to pull back for air.

“Heh heh...” He said breathlessly. “All right, you win.”

“Of course I do.” She smirked and pulled him back into a kiss.

They lay there like that for hours, talking almost non-stop save for a few brief spontaneous make-out sessions. 2B wouldn't stop rubbing and massaging 9S' entire body until well after he had reached his normal temperature.

She caught him up on everything he missed while he listened dreamily with his head buried in her chest. As her conversation topics eventually dwindled she went quiet and asked him what it was like being trapped inside her like that.

“I didn't feel trapped at all.” He replied. “I did miss holding you and loving you and talking to you in person... but I felt... so... connected to you in there even though I wasn't fully myself.”

“Mmm...” She hummed.

“I guess I got a good view of how you think and feel and see the world.”

“And... what do you think about that?”

“I think...” He rose up and kissed her cheek. “I think you gotta stop being so hard on yourself.”

“Niiines.”

“It's true.” He smiled. “I love you for so many reasons in so many ways. I want to help you find at least one reason and one way to love yourself too.”

2B went silent and hid her face away on 9S' shoulder. “You're too kind.” She all but whispered.

"Nu-uh, you are." He responded in a sing-song voice.

“Are we gonna fight over this again?”

“Not if you give up right now.”

“Niiines.”

“Alll riiiight.” He hummed. “But really, 2B... I hope one day you can understand what a wonderful, kind, loving person you are, and I'll do anything to help you realize that. Okay?”

2B nuzzled him again. “Okay... as long as you promise to never leave my side...” She sighed. “Well... at least not permanently.”

“As long as one of us still stands, nothing will keep us apart forever. And that's a promise.”

 

**Author's Note:**

>   
> 


End file.
